Luke Ernst's goal 15 minutes into the second half stood up as the game-winner as Ramsey remained unbeaten with a 1-0 win over River Dell on Tuesday.
ORADELL – Luke Ernst would have had every reason to be frustrated. On several occasions against River Dell on Tuesday, the Ramsey striker got the ball in a position to score. Whether by point-blank save or a shot that just trickled wide, Ernst just could not find the back of the net. As a senior with plenty of big-game experience, Ernst knew not to panic and focused on continuing to work hard for another opportunity. With the game still scoreless well into the second half, Ernst kept putting shots on frame and finally cashed in.
His goal in the 55th minute turned out to be the lone goal of the game as Ramsey notched its fourth consecutive shutout and remained unbeaten on the season with a hard-fought 1-0 road win over River Dell in Oradell.
After a grueling 1-0 win over Ridgewood in the Bergen County quarterfinals on Sunday, the first half of this game against a league rival presented a challenge. Ramsey was playing like a team that was tired and indecisive, while River Dell was playing like a team desperate for a signature win. The end result was a virtually even first half with each team having a legitimate scoring chance in the final three minutes. Ernst broke free and beat River Dell keeper Jonah Nippes, but his shot went just inches wide of the far post. Then in the final minute, Luca Musano-Mehmeti had a free kick from 30 yards out and put a ton of pace on it, only for it to sail over the crossbar.
“We were coming off a tough game against Ridgewood and we were a little sluggish in the first half today,” said Ramsey head coach Cesar Blacido. “We want to keep the guys fresh and it’s not easy to do this time of year. The second half was more about keeping things simple and making quick, smart decisions with the ball. We see teams like River Dell and Mahwah twice a year every year, so they know us well.”
Jonah Nippes finished with a season-high 11 saves for River Dell.
The halftime intermission was one Ramsey needed to regroup physically and shift up their scheme tactically. The Rams used the width of the field and made quicker decisions, not allowing the Hawks back line to push up. That opened more space for Ernst and he had three legitimate scoring chances in the first nine minutes of the second half. One misfired and Nippes made a pair of solid saves. Nippes played well throughout but could only hold off the Ernst and the Rams for so long.
Lucas Quinn fed Ernst the ball with his back to the goal and a defender draped all over him. He made a quick turn to elude the defender then split two converging defenders to get into the box before ripping a low liner past Nippes and into the back of the net to put the Rams ahead with 25:16 remaining.
“River Dell’s back line steps up really far, further than most teams so we had to adjust to that,” said Ernst. “It’s really tough to get in behind them so we had to be sharper with our passes. Even though he made some saves on me in the second half, I had to stay greedy. I knew my goal was coming, I just had to keep working hard and stay patient.”
The Hawks nearly got that goal back just minutes later on their lone corner kick of the half. It skipped through the six-yard box without anyone getting a touch on it. That was the first and the last scoring opportunity for the Hawks in the second half. Ramsey sweeper Patrick Weir had complete command of the back line and kept the Rams composed throughout the second half to help Ernst’s goal stand up.
Stephen DePinto made three saves to earn his eighth shutout of the season for Ramsey.
“I thought we forced the action in the first half, we just didn’t get enough shots on net,” said River Dell head coach John Graham. “This is the type of game we would see in the state tournament. Can’t make sloppy mistakes or you’ll get punished for them. We feel like we’re a solid team that nobody would really love to see in a first-round game. We’ll hit the ground, work on some hard tackling in our practices, and get ourselves ready to finish the season strong.”
Steven DePinto made three saves to earn his eighth shutout of the season for Ramsey (12-0-1). Nippes finished with a season-high 11 saves for River Dell (5-5).
This week is the biggest of the season to date for Ramsey. After a tough test in this game, they will face rival Mahwah (whom they beat 1-0 in their first meeting this season), before taking on top-seeded Bergen Catholic in the Bergen County semifinals over the weekend. It will be a rematch of last year’s Bergen County quarterfinals that went to Bergen Catholic, 1-0, in double overtime.
“Bergen is Bergen, they’re always strong,” said Weir, a senior and three-year starter. “We’ve had that game circled since the brackets for the county tournament came out. But we still have work to do. Mahwah is a rival and always a tough game for us, we can’t look past them. Every game means a lot and we want those tough games.”
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